Week 247 and Week 159.5 - Christmas part 2

Ok sorry - I am going to lame out a bit on this entry.  I really want to do a proper entry on our amazing vacation - but I am super spent on the boring aforementioned expense report purgatory I have just escaped from.  I am going to America(!) on Monday and hope I have more time.  All the photos are uploaded - I just need a chunk of time (and a hearty internet connection) to get it done!

So this post is kind of all things Christmas vacation that wasn't idyllic beach in remote Indonesia.  Sorry to disappoint but I have been up late every night and our beach holiday deserves a proper entry!

It is of note though the morning we left to go from SG to Macau (last Sunday) - we nearly missed our flight because the girls were so whiny and whingey for wearing cold weather clothes in Singapore.  I mean an hour of whining!  These girls must live near the equator when they get older.  Luckily the weather in Macau was not so cold when we arrived... but the DNA has been imprinted and these girls are warm weather girls!


Christmas Eve in Macau - where in the world is Matt?  Manila this go around (but he made it back with Santa on the evening).  So we took Char's Capoeira teacher Titan and his lovely girlfriend Raca out for dim sum.  Their first time - I was surprised (as dim sum in HK/Macau is the equivalent of In-N-Out burger in California... it must be done!).

Someone is missing from this Christmas Eve picture:

Obligatory Dreamworks photos:

Christmas morning there was some present opening.  They are getting very into it:

Even Dawan gets into the fun... sort of:

The day after our sumptuous Christmas dinner at MGM - we celebrated Emi's birthday with at Oliver's house.  He happened to whip us up a turkey lunch effortlessly as I would whip up soup out of a can.  A great boxing day:

Here we are staying at Jisun and Hanli's at Robertson Quay, Singapore-  thanks for letting us stay - it was perfect!

Skyping Grandpa:

Char's photography skills are improving:

After Telunas, we were back in Singapore!  Uncle Steven got these dresses for the girls and treated us to local food and ice cream at his restaurants in Clarke Quay:

We were happy Chris and Jacob could join us too!

I want to bring Sesame and Green Tea ice cream to Minnesota!

I love this photo - they look like teenagers!

Uncle treated us to a boat ride where we took some fun photos with Auntie Linda:

Marina Bay Sands:

We visited TT - he strikes a Susie pose here:

We took Julia and her lovely fiance Richard to dim sum before we left to Indonesia (we love our dim sum!):

Char has a great smile here:

Week 246 and Week 158.5 - Christmas part 1

Sorry sorry sorry - I actually missed an entire week of blogging.  I was off the grid so to speak on our (now) annual trip to Telunas Beach.  I dare say that I did not miss you, dear Internet, but I will attempt to do 2 blog posts this week to catch myself up.  Admittedly even this post is going to be scant at best.  I am leaving to go to America in a few days and have some administrative issues with my Macau company to clear up before I go (I know that sounds exciting and official but really it is doing a year's worth of expense reports).  So I have been up till midnight most nights taping receipts to paper.  Oh, the glamorous life of a business owner.

So I will leave you with just a few shots till a few days from now when I am not snowed under receipts.

We spent Christmas day with the lovely Webers at MGM.  There was a magician and Santa Claus and sangria and mojitos.  I sometimes wonder if the kids will grow up thinking everything is a special event that has magicians and Santa Claus- perhaps something to consider when we repatriate.  Anyway - here are a couple of shots from the nice (and gluttonous) day:

I love this photo - Sophia reminds me of an older soul than she is:

This was from last month - but here is our 'official' photo from the American Chamber of Commerce Ball. Prom 2014 baby!  I did not realize that these girls were also going to be in the photo with us:

Week 245 and Week 157.5 - Hong Kong Disneyland and Shenzhen Fringe Parade and The Smurfs! Oh My!

Greetings from Christmas Day in Macau!  I am scaling new heights of sleep deprivation - but all for a great cause - good kiddo fun.

We went to Disneyland last Thursday - and decided to go early to try to get China visas - so getting on the 7:45 ferry was a big accomplishment.

Matt got his 10 year visa (yay!).  We will try again next year for the rest of the family's.

Disneyland was fun - we went with Aya, Emi and Kei.  There was mostly show watching and riding a couple of rides (explicitly no Winnie the Pooh for Sophia).  We saw Anna and Elsa but no Christmas night parade due to inclement weather :(.  I guess we will have to go again next Christmas!

Sophia passed out on the taxi ride to the hotel.  Charlotte and I had a nightcap of fried rice from Jaspas.  We loved the Auberge - a more affordable (than Disney) but still very nice hotel in Discovery Bay.

Saturday I took the girls to China for the Shenzhen Fringe Festival where there was a Capoeira exhibition.  I finally get a sense of what it would be like to be a local band - unexpectedly long bus rides (3.5 hours one way!) with no toilets (a much needed amenity for Charlotte) and lots of idle waiting time.  But the performance was so fun!  The drumming transforms - like a great marching band (Southwest Dekalb!) during a high school football game halftime to rouse the crowd.  Plus the weather was amazing- which was a miracle as the day before was cold, rainy, and miserable.  A great way to mark the end of the year with the lovely Capoeira community.

Oh on Sunday we took the girls (with the Webers) to the Smurfs Show at Venetian.  I would be lying if I said there was not a nap involved (for me).  Busy week!

Disneyland - matching haircuts:

Town Square Christmas Tree:

Group photo:

Olaf and Sven speak Cantonese:

Sophia studies the map:

A four hour wait for Anna and Elsa (and no Fastpasses left) - so we just saw her from afar:

Waiting at It's A Small World:

The girls rode the Teacups for the first (second and third) time!  They loved it (thanks to Emi for introducing it to them):

Breakfast at Auberge:

Kiddie playroom:

View:

Leading the charge back to Macau:

Capoeira Road Trip to Shenzhen:

Sophia slept the first leg of the trip:

Waiting:

Diane and Justin:

Negotiating fries:

Char and Titan:

Pre-Show:

Group hug huddle:

I love this photo!

Char en route to a cartwheel:

Drummers!

Hangin' tough Justin!

Jackeline leading the drums:

Sophia got in on the fun too!  She was so excited to be part of it (and ready to start next year!):

Finale!

In the midst of a Frozen singalong medley on the way back to Macau:

Here is a brief video from the day - so fun!

We took Dawan to the park on the next day (Sunday) prior to the Smurfs:

Char was melancholy or maybe just overtired:

But Dawan was happy: